David Jolicouer of De La Soul dies
David "Trugoy The Dove" Jolicoeur of the iconic hip hop group De La Soul dies aged 54
Last updated 13th Feb 2023
American rapper, producer, and founding member of De La Soul David Jude Jolicoeur has passed away at the age of 54 on the 12th of February 2023.
No cause of death was given at the time of the announcement, but Jolicouer had previously revealed that health issues - including congestive heart failure - were impacting his ability to perform in recent years.
About David Jolicouer & De La Soul:
Known by his stage name "Trugoy the Dove", and most recently simply as "Dave", David Jolicouer was best known for his work with De La Soul.
The New York-born group emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s during the "golden age" of hip hop, and are known for their essential contributions to the alt-hip hop and jazz rap scene, with much of their work featuring eclectic samples and distinctive lyrics.
Due to their wide use of samples and other legal problems, much of De La Soul's early and best-known work had not been available on streaming services for a number of years. However, following a deal announced in early 2023, it was revealed that much of the catalogue would be available on streaming services from March 2023.
Jazz FM's Tony Minvielle caught up with the group in February 2023 - following the announcement that their early music would be available on streaming services.
The rapper was born to Haitian-American parents and grew up in Long Island, in New York. Dave Jolicouer attributed his laid-back style of hip hop to the multicultural environment in which he grew up, which he spoke to Tony Minvielle about less than 2 weeks ago.
A member of the star-studdedSpitKick Crew/Collective, Trugoy the Dove will also be immortalised for his recognisable verse in Gorillaz's 2005 hit song 'Feel Good Inc'.